Pink Lemonade
by aeraandawen
Summary: Though the path they walked on was always the same in life, they arrived at different destinations in the end. Call it a justification for the ending. ShikaIno.
1. Chapter 1

There was always some kind of a sadness in her pale blue eyes every time he looked at her. Other people might not have noticed it – she hid it so well with her loud, rambunctious behavior – but as someone who had grown up with her practically since they were born, he could see it very clearly.

She would laugh, tease and joke with everyone around her, but he would notice every time she paused and collected herself before she go again with the flow. He knew that sometimes she couldn't do it, but she was very good at masking her feelings. She was an actress and they were her audience, the atmosphere was her performance and she was so damn good at it.

There was nobody in this world who could understand what was going on in her head, what she was feeling, how she was doing except maybe him. Because his loss was also her loss, her pain was his pain and her sadness was his sadness as well. He faked them damn well good, too.

He stumbled upon her drinking one night – a pure coincidence because he didn't think that she had the habit of prowling the streets of Konoha at such late hour. He just left the Hokage's office – dead tired with one mission in his head – but upon seeing a familiar figure sitting alone at a sake stall on his way home, the plan went awry.

"You shouldn't be drinking alone." He said as he pulled out a chair and sat down without her invitation.

He could tell that she was halfway drunk. Her hair was down and carefree, her cheeks were flushed pink. She looked so pretty in the dimmed light. Yet, her eyes held the same sadness, deeper than he had ever seen before.

"Couldn't sleep." She replied. "You?"

"Just finished a troublesome work for the Hokage." He just realized how tired he was and found himself wanting a drink. Sleep could wait. He signaled an order.

"You are important now, Shikamaru." She said softly, lips curling at the corners and downed another cup. That moment, he didn't realize that being important would change his life forever. He thought he was only filling his father's role temporarily and will resume his normal task once the village had stabilized. How naive he was.

On and on they poured themselves drinks and drank and drank until sobriety eased and consciousness replaced.

He began to look at her from a new angle, and noticed many things he had missed before. How soft and lush her lips must have been when kissed. How delicious her throat must be if bitten. How inviting the hint of cleavage peeking from her shirt. He pulled his invasive gaze back to her face only to find her half-lidded eyes were trained on him, unreadable and smoldering blue as she regarded him the same way.

"I'm done." She slammed a couple of notes on the table and stood, a bit swaying but her training quickly corrected her balance. He did the same.

"I'll walk you home." He said and fell into step beside her. They never made it home.

* * *

In a dark alley on a deserted street, their mouths fused in a savage battle of tongue and teeth. She allowed his hands under her top and inside her skirt, her fingers clawed his shirt and clung onto him as he found her sweet spot and pleasured her until her wetness coated his fingers. It didn't take long for her to undo his fly and found him erect and ready, and with the strength of a shinobi, he lifted her up and held her against the wall with her eagerly directing his passage inside.

It was awkward and clumsy at first but soon they found their rhythm and their bodies synchronized so well as though they were in a dance. They always worked that way – there was no other female who had a great chemistry with him except Ino. Everything was easier with her because they were so used to each other. He wondered if this was her first time but he was too drunk to care.

She did not show that she felt pain. She did not complain that their position was uncomfortable. Her back must have hit the wall so many times enough to form bruises but she did not tell him to stop. She did not make much noise except producing gasps that made puffy clouds in the cold air. It sounded sweet in his ears.

He lost control at the end; letting go inside of her instead of withdrawing, fully aware of what could have been if her cycle was spot on. He wanted to apologize but it seemed like she didn't care.

Somewhere along walking her home was when she questioned the what ifs. He wondered if she was worried but there was not an ounce of regret in her tone. He shrugged because he honestly didn't know.

* * *

One and a half months later she dumped a black and white photo onto his paperwork. He stared at the tiny black dot, stunned.

"Sure it's mine?"

She scowled at his face. "You think I sleep around Konoha?"

He looked at her then and acknowledged that the tiny life inside of his teammate was fully, rightfully his. She did feel tight when he entered her. He had been her first and probably the only one still.

"What are we going to do?" She looked tough but he knew she was crumbling inside.

"Nothing." He answered, taking the scan and tucked it inside his vest. "We'll keep it, of course."

"Are you going to make an honest woman out of me now, Shikamaru?" Her lips curled in amusement.

He returned her smirk and shrugged once. For the first time since the war ended he was glad that her father had gone to meet his creator.

She miscarried one week after they had the conversation.

Her eyes lost the temporary spark he had seen in that one week and returned to their usual sadness. What she felt couldn't have possibly mirror his feelings. She had experienced life inside her and he didn't know anything about it. Sure, he was responsible for the half of it but the common ground ended there.

"Are you okay?" He asked, shamelessly putting her hand in his.

"I will be." But her breath hitched like she had a stone in her throat. "You know what's worse? I feel relieved, Shikamaru."

Then she burst into tears.

He wondered how this strong, confident, beautiful young woman whom he had known since childhood could be so broken. He pulled her into his familiar territory because that was all he could do.

They must be fated for experiencing losses together over and over again. But he couldn't deny that he felt the same way. It was not a good time to bring an innocent child into chaos. They needed to rebuild their village, restore the peace and forge alliances. And perhaps maintain the order so that a fifth war would never come to light.

Then it will be a good time to have children.

They were broken, but they will pick up the pieces, one at time. They will do it together. They didn't put a name on their relationship because labels were overrated. They were both professionals so it did not interfere with their work. They did not involve emotions because ninjas weren't supposed to have one. What they had was just passion; when grief hits they just want to escape and feel good. They hid it so well that hardly anybody knew what was going on between them.

They had a general knowledge of what they were to each other, but two years later, Sasuke came back and changed everything.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thank you for reading, liking and reviewing the previous chapter. Before we move on to the story, I would like to apologize for any grammar mistakes. English is my second language and it has been a long time since I write._

 _Theme song: Pink Lemonade by James Bay_

* * *

The arrival of Konoha's ex-traitor put the village into chaos.

The lone survivor of the Uchiha clan returned for the first time after two years of traveling to seek redemption. To that day, not many people knew where he had gone to and what he was up to within those two years. The purpose of his coming back and his future plans were still vogue but the reigning Hokage and his comrades welcomed him back with open arms. After all, Sasuke was still one of Konoha greatest assets despite what he had done.

In the beginning he was left to do his own thing but a few days later, he was summoned to the Hokage's office and was steadily given missions after that. His missions were mostly S-rank and required him to leave the village for a certain amount of time. He came back every now and then, usually to give reports and his insights about possible threats and enemies. But that was not what had sent the village into an uproar.

Rumor was Sasuke was looking for a suitable woman to help him restore his clan to glory.

And every woman with eligible age to marry was fighting for that chance.

"Why are you not participating?" Choji unabashedly asked Ino one day during their team's monthly practice. Though Team 10 was no more these days they still meet once in a while to practice Ino-Shika-Cho formation.

"Throwing myself at him you mean?" Ino raised an eyebrow.

He pretended not to pay attention to the conversation but his ears were perked up.

"Not interested." She said flatly. She took a water bottle from her pack and chugged it down.

"Really?" Choji sounded sceptical.

"Truly." She wiped the excess water from her mouth. "I have no intention to marry him."

"But why?" Choji looked really puzzled. "Isn't he your type?"

This time he glanced at her, catching her eyes briefly in the process. She shrugged. "He is not a relationship material, that's all."

He looked away, not inserting his thoughts in their conversation. Talking about relationships always made them uncomfortable because they didn't put a name into theirs. They still saw each other once in a while, when loneliness crept in in the middle of the night. When they needed someone to share the unsolved grief. When they just wanted to feel good.

"Huh." Choji mulled her answer for a good minute. "Then who do you think is the relationship material, if not Sasuke?"

He coughed out loud, a little bit nervous to hear her answer. Wordlessly, she passed her bottle to him and he downed the water as if he did not drink for days. He thought she would never answer but then she hummed and her eyes had a faraway look that indicated she was thinking.

"I think Iruka is good." Her nonchalant reply sent the water out of his mouth like a jet. Choji dropped his new pack of chips. "He is stable and has a good heart."

"Don't you think he is too old for you?" Choji looked at her in disbelief.

She rolled her eyes. "I didn't say for me." She considered again. "I think if Neji is still alive I would have picked him."

He turned his face away so that nobody could see the annoyance crept up his face.

"So…you like older men." Choji muttered slowly.

She didn't agree but didn't disagree either. "Well, I think those two are relationship material."

"How about our Hokage?"

She thought for a moment. "Mmm...somehow my gut tells me that he is not interested in starting a family. He seems comfortable being single, you know."

Choji nodded absent-mindedly. "How about Gai?"

She laughed a little. "I think Gai could be a good boyfriend or husband but I think he is repulsive."

"I see." Choji hesitated a bit but proceeded to throw her another question. "Then what qualities do you look for in a guy?"

Ino stared at Choji, trying to look for the meaning behind the question. The casual conversation was going somewhere, that was certain. Was Choji interested in Ino? Shikamaru would never have thought of that.

Then she smirked. "Are you fishing for tips, Choji? Do you have someone in mind when you ask me that question?"

The chubby guy faltered, his face reddened. "N-no! I was just…curious, that's all."

She neared him, trying to sniff the truth. She could have read it straight out of Choji's mind if she wanted to but she would never use her jutsu on them for a secret. An amused smile decorated her face and for a moment, she looked genuinely excited.

"Who's the girl you set your eyes on, Choji?" Choji cringed and tried to evade her approach.

"N-none of your business!" He sputtered.

"Who?" She teased again. "Tell me!"

"Nobody!"

"Does she have dark skin?" Her question was laced with laughter.

Choji moved and she ran after him, leaving Shikamaru alone in his spot with the thoughts of her approval of Iruka and Neji, and the fact that she did not consider him at all stung his heart.

* * *

"You are mad." She said when she came to him a few nights later.

"I'm not. Troublesome woman." He grunted and turned his back on her. He felt her slipped under the covers and felt her arm circling his waist.

"You called me troublesome. You haven't called me that in such a long time."

"You haven't annoyed me as much."

"Apparently, I do now. You barely looked at me since that day. You've been avoiding me."

He closed his eyes and pretended to be sleeping. But his façade didn't last long when she showered his back with kisses.

He felt her need, strong and desperate, and made him yearn for her instantly. He turned around, stopping her wandering hand midway under the waistband of his pants and pulled her on top of him, her long hair cascaded down the sides of her face and back as she stared at him. She looked hungry. And equally sad. He wasn't able to erase that look in her eyes.

Oh, how he wished he could.

He traced her bottom lip with his calloused thumb and in a swift motion, pulled her face down to him and crushed her in a fiery kiss. She fought for dominance but he didn't let her, for once, he intended to dominate her that night.

This was what glued them together; the sweet taste of sex. Apparently, they were each other's flavor and sex without commitments with someone you trust was the most addictive one. Like a dam broke and lets out a flowing river, the thin barrier of friendship disappeared and they were now hovering near the definition of something else.

He was tired of fighting that current.

"Ino," he called her name after they were done and was answered with a soft hum. He turned and met a beautiful image of her satisfied face after the intense pleasure he gave her. Her eyes was closed and she looked radiant. She never bothered to cover up after and words just died in his mouth at the perfect spread in front of him.

"What?" Her heavy eyelids fluttered open. "Something on your mind?"

He decided not to voice his thoughts. His gut told him that it could invite a quarrell and he'd rather she spent the night with him.

And possibly had another go with each other.

"What?" She pushed, her sleepiness gone. "Will you tell me or do I have to beat it out of you?"

He sighed. There was no way out of it when she was fired up like this.

"Nothing. I just have a very stupid thing to ask."

"What is it?"

"About what Choji asked before."

She narrowed her eyes. "Were you not listening?"

He shrugged. "I did but...maybe I don't believe you."

She was silent for such a long time that he thought she had got up and left him. But yet there she was, unmoved.

"How could I line up," she finally spoke, soft as a whisper, "when my best friend is standing at the very front?"

"So the reason is Sakura?"

She looked at him in the eye. "I really don't have feelings for Sasuke anymore, Shikamaru."

Something warm like giddiness spread like a fine mist in his heart and he could not help but smile. Ever since the rumor started about Sasuke was looking for a bride, almost everybody was in the mood to look for their "one". It could not be a more perfect time to restore the population. Konoha was prospering again, and for once the alliances they forged with other villages seemed a lot stronger and trustworthy compared to the previous ties. Everybody was coupling up, even Choji was up to the game. Finally something other than food managed to catch his interest.

"If you say so, then," his fingers seek hers, "go out with me."

She stiffened.

"Go out with me," he repeated.

She let out a nervous breath. "But why? What we have is just fine."

He studied her face. "Are you ashamed to be seen with me in public?"

"No!"

"Then what is your excuse?"

"I'm comfortable with us like this. We don't need more."

"I'm not asking you to marry me, geez, you are so...nevermind."

He settled on his side of the bed and closed his eyes, feigning ignorance but deep in his heart he was hurt by her lack of interest to become something more that bed partner. It has been a few months since he toyed with the idea of making her his official girlfriend but she seemed comfortable to just being "friends with benefits" so he decided not to push it and gave her more time. It was impossible to have an intimate relationship without investing emotions in it and apparently, he was the first one falling.

"You are mad."

He did not respond because he really did not want to get into an argument with her. But she was relentless.

"Why are you affected by the rumor anyway? I thought you don't care at all."

He didn't understand himself but when Uchiha Sasuke was actively looking for a suitable partner, every male in Konoha felt competitive and rose to the challenge. Even his lazy self.

It was probably time for him to mark his territory.

"I heard something the other day." He turned, his interest caught and once again his eyes met her delicious body. All ill-feelings forgotten, he closed their distance and landed feathery kisses along her jaw, while his hand busily exploring her soft skin. He will never get enough of her sweetness. At least, he could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted with her. Her body belonged to him.

He was lucky she picked him if only for this purpose.

"I heard Naruto is going to marry Hinata."

His exploration stopped.

"Is it true?" She asked him. "You are close with Naruto, aren't you?:

To be honest, he didn't know. "Yes, but this is the first time I heard of this."

"Che. I'm hoping for some gossip but you as usual is the last to know." She pouted cutely.

He resumed his previous action but she stopped him and gave him the look. He sighed. She wanted a conversation. Fine.

"But if he is marrying Hinata does that mean that he is going to give up on Sakura?"

"Isn't that obvious?" She said in a superior tone. She always loved being a step further than him. "He is doing it for them."

"Who?"

She rolled her eyes. "Sasuke and Sakura, of course!"

He frowned, looking sceptical.

"It makes sense! Sakura loves Sasuke and Sasuke is looking for a wife. Sasuke is not making any move on Sakura because he knows Naruto loves her. So Naruto backs up and marry Hinata, who loves him since forever. So Sasuke and Sakura could finally be with each other."

"That sounds-"

"Very romantic." She sighed and had a dreamy look on her face.

"How is that romantic? Naruto is sacrificing his feelings so that the other guy could get his girl. And it is not fair to Hinata because Naruto doesn't love her. How could their marriage work if they don't love each other?"

"Well, I think it is romantic for a guy to sacrifice his feelings so that the girl he loves will end up with the one _she_ loves."

"I cannot accept your logic."

"Naruto knows Sakura is torn between him and Sasuke. It is hard on her because she loves them both. We know that she has always love Sasuke, but she could not forget how much Naruto has done for her, and over the years, maybe she has learned to love him, too." She elaborated and he was almost convinced. "Maybe marrying Hinata is the only way to get over Sakura. Who knows? It must be hard to get over someone you loved for years."

"But that's just your assumptions, right?"

She shrugged. "Yes, but I think I'm right."

He shook his head, muttering, "yeah, you always are."

"Why do you find it hard to believe that Naruto is going to marry Hinata?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "Because...I think marriage is troublesome enough. People shouldn't do it if it's not with the person they love."

She drew a sharp breath as if she was struck. He had won that round. He met her eyes, daring her to object, but he knew she didn't have a reply to that. He had bared his heart to her and it was her turn to do whatever she wanted with it.

At long last she looked away, but not without dropping a bomb, something that he will remember for years and years to come.

"I think people in love does not necessarily end up in marriage, Shikamaru."


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: I just want to note that I wrote this based on the manga and did not take account of the anime and other fillers._

 _I'm so sorry if you don't like the direction of this story. Sorry!_

* * *

The day carried on as usual and once again, Shikamaru was swamped with mounds of paperwork. He sighed, as he leafed through each one, writing a remark here and there, and stamped his approval on a few others. It was still morning, yet, he was already exhausted just looking at words and numbers.

Call him crazy but he was starting to miss doing missions.

He was about to give himself a break but Kakashi signaled him over to his desk as he rose from his own.

"The delegation from Suna will arrive this afternoon and I need you to do the usual stuff." He nodded, a bit eagerly because that meant getting out of the stuffy room. "And, it doesn't hurt to make it a little bit special this time."

He frowned at the last remark. "What do you mean?"

The Sixth Hokage waved impassively. "Oh, you know...it doesn't hurt if you take her on a tour around the village-"

"Temari has been to Konoha many times. She doesn't need a tour."

"Well, you could take her to lunch...at a special restaurant."

"Like a date?"

The older man shrugged.

He narrowed his eyes. "Out with it, Sixth. You don't need to hide behind the bushes."

Kakashi stared intently at him then, his demeanor changed from mischievous to serious, displaying the full aura of a Hokage. "I want you to make Temari of the Sand to fall in love with you."

He heard something broke and his blood turned cold. "What are you trying- What's the catch behind all this?"

"A stronger alliance with Suna."

"Just from her falling in love with me?" He asked incredulously. What Kakashi suggested was ridiculous.

"The goal is for you two to get married."

He felt like ground had opened up and swallowed him whole. His future was suddenly looking dark and bleak, without his sun in it. _Pale, silky blonde hair spread carelessly across his pillow. Eyes as blue as the sky. Sweet, floral perfume._ He tried to think of a way to get out of the ordeal, but his brains had turned to mush and refused to cooperate.

He said weakly, "I thought our alliance is already strong."

"Yes, with Naruto and Gaara's friendship, there is no doubt about it. But I want to go all the way and tie it with blood."

Shikamaru stared at the man in front of him, the man he believed and respected probably after his own father and his teacher. Now that they were both dead, Kakashi was the closest father figure he had. He was also a good mentor and a friend. Shikamaru would do anything for him but even he would never have thought that Kakashi would ask him to cut open his chest and make his heart as an offering. Sounded vicious, but maybe this was the first time he saw his true colour.

And just like that, something in his mind clicked, the chess pieces arranged to their places on the board, and all things that were happening simultaneously in the village finally made sense.

Shikamaru spoke, voice low in disbelief. "You orchestrated Naruto's wedding."

The masked face didn't waver. "Ah, so you've heard. The news is not out yet. We are still arranging stuff but, yeah, I did."

Hatake Kakashi was the current ruler of the village and his words were absolute. Smarter and a better strategist than him, Kakashi was the perfect person to rebuild Konoha from the destruction caused by the recent war. There must be a reason behind every decision.

He was smart enough to guess.

"You told Naruto to let go of his feelings for Sakura to create an opportunity for Sasuke to step in. You knew that Hinata is in love with Naruto for years, so you match the two."

Kakashi nodded.

"Why?"

Those dark eyes bore into him. "I don't think I owe you an explanation but since you are about to be thrown under the same bus then…." It sounded like Kakashi was about to announce his funeral and in a way, maybe he was. "I want Sasuke to keep coming back to Konoha, and for that to happen, he must have a permanent home and someone to come back to. Sakura is the perfect choice. He is used to her feelings and could accept it even though he does not feel the same."

"And Naruto...agreed?"

There was a faraway look in Kakashi's eyes. "Naruto is doing what he usually do best: anything for the good of this village."

Silence fell as he mulled those words in.

"Naruto is going to be a Hokage one day and what I did is basically paving a path for him. Strong alliances and a good wife from a reputable clan are all he need. By the time he takes over, the village will be at peace and prospering. After all that he has done, he deserves it."

"And they are okay with that?" Meek Hinata will just accept her fate but he could not imagine the former Team Seven will go down without a fight.

Unless, those three plus the Hokage were seeing and thinking of it as a mission. The biggest Team Seven mission they ever had.

Like Ino had dabbled to him several nights ago, it was not impossible for Naruto and Hinata to marry. They thought like adults, putting aside their feelings and strived for the conveniences. Sasuke did not love Sakura - maybe not yet - but as his former teammate, he did care about her. They could start from there. Sakura had always loved Sasuke, but Shikamaru knew and saw how much she and Naruto had grown closer over the years. So it was hard for her to make the decision. As for Naruto, he had always loved Sakura, cared a great deal about Sasuke and would do anything for both of them even if it meant giving the girl of his dream up for someone else.

Ino had said that people in love does not necessarily end up in marriage. Hell, he was starting to believe that.

"They gotta do what they gotta do, Shikamaru." There was pressure in Kakashi's tone.

He gritted his teeth, his voice almost sounded like a hiss. "Including me?"

"I thought you would be a perfect candidate to bridge our gap with Suna. You and Temari are nothing new. People already assumed you two are dating. Why not make it official?" Kakashi said, as if his explanation could make anything right. "If you have children, they could be a candidate to the Kazekage position because they hold both citizenships."

And of course, that could strengthen the alliance. He opened his mouth to retort but he had nothing to say.

Kakashi stared at him coolly. "Are you dating someone?"

He thought of Ino. Heard her laughter, and her gasps and moans between the sheets. Felt the ecstasy as he took her to paradise. His heart constricted. "No."

"Good. Then it's not a problem, is it?"

He found it very difficult to give his consent to this agenda. But nobody knew his secret relationship and to all who looked, they only saw a single, attainable man.

"This is important, Shikamaru. I'm not doing this to toy with people's heart. We were at war, and we have lost so many people, important people. Our losses are great, and we have to patch things up, little by little."

He wondered if Kakashi made the same speech to the others. Naruto and Hinata. Sasuke and Sakura. Did he do it separately or together? And how did he do it so discreetly? Informations rarely passed without Shikamaru's knowing. He clenched his fists tight and the gesture was not missed by Kakashi.

"You look like you have something to say."

He had a lot to say but he did not want to throw a tantrum like a child. He drew a deep breath, and proceeded to say his mind. As calmly as he could. "I just find it odd to be with someone you don't have feelings for."

Something like sympathy passed briefly on the Hokage's face. "I understand what you are trying to say. This is not the first time I heard of this kind of...opinion, believe me."

Kakashi rose and walked to the window that overseeing the whole village. The view was something he would see when all became too much to bear and it reminded him to just push through the hardships. "But we live in time where we simply cannot choose. We must do whatever we have to do to build back the foundation so that the next generation could enjoy the security we provide, just like our forefathers had done to us, over and over again since the beginning of time."

Kakashi turned his back and faced him once again. "You and the rest may not love the person you will be marrying in the future, but I can assure you, your future children will have love and a happy life if what we are doing right now goes through. We are doing it for them, Shikamaru. Remember that."

The king.

Shikamaru felt defeated, as the truth in those words sank in and he could not deny it. He was not important. His thoughts and his feelings did not matter. He was a ninja, a tool to be used for the greatness of Konoha, no matter what it cost him.

He thought about Asuma and remembered how he had died protecting the same reason Kakashi was fighting for.

So if the others could make the sacrifice, why the hell he should not?

He looked over Kakashi's shoulder to see all hopes for a future with Ino crumbled to dust.

"So I have to make Temari to fall in love with me?"

"Doesn't matter as long as your relationship ends up with a wedding."

Air failed to fill his lungs but he continued to breathe. He struggled to remain stoic, uncaring. "Is this an assignment?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Take it however you want, Shikamaru. I just care about the result."

Painfully, bitterly, he nodded and gave a stiff bow. "Respectfully noted, Hokage-sama."


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: This was a hard chapter to write. I rewrote it many times. Initially, I wanted to make an angsty chapter but my mind refused to cooperate, so after a few edits, this is what I came up with. Hope you enjoy!_

 _Also thank you for reviewing the last chapter. I really appreciate it!_

* * *

A month had passed since Kakashi bestowed the task of getting Temari's hand to strengthen the alliance and to this day, Shikamaru had done absolutely nothing.

The big part of the reason was he did not want to do it. The remaining part was he just did not know how.

Could somebody just shine a light on how to court that fearsome woman? If only he had feelings for Temari, he might have just tried harder. But he did not feel anything towards her and he kept procrastinating. She came on official visits and he treated her as formally. Kakashi did asked him to treat her nicely, but it was hard to fake something that he did not have. He only saw her as a friend, and treat her as a friend he did. He knew that Kakashi will reprimand him one way or the other, but he will deal with that later.

There were some occasions where he almost went to Kakashi to break the whole thing off because let's face it, it was just ridiculous. Surely there must be other ways to strengthen the alliance without sacrificing him! Other people could get married instead. How about arranging Gaara's or Kankurou's marriage to one of Konoha's top officials? Other times he thought that a genjutsu was formed on him while discussing it with Kakashi but in the end, he knew that he agreed to it with his consciousness present. His love and duty towards Konoha went above anything.

He didn't tell a soul about it. He didn't feel the need to share, plus, it must be carried out secretly so that it will look like it was always meant to be. So he kept it to himself and did not breathe a word to anybody, not even his best friend, and especially not to one Yamanaka Ino.

Whatever he had with Ino, he wanted to prolong it as long as possible.

He found himself walking the familiar path to her apartment that night after he finished his work at the Hokage's office. He was exhausted with the mounds of paperwork that never seems to end, and his brain was completely fried to think of anything other than letting his feet navigate him to somewhere. They led to Ino and before he knew it, he was standing in front of the purple door and was about to insert his own key into the keyhole. For a moment he just stood there, staring at the key and wondered how it came to be in his possession.

Then he remembered how Ino casually threw that thing to him, saying that she was done with him sneaking about her house like a thief trying to get in through the window and it was such a bother to open the door for him because he always came at such ungodly hour so why didn't he get a copy and help himself the next time he comes around?

He did the same thing. That had been a year ago.

He chuckled to himself at the memory as he unlocked the door and let himself in. It was not quite late in the night so he was surprised to find her house completely void of light, except for the one inside the bathroom at the far back. He walked towards the light and as he drew closer, he heard the soft splashing sound of the water and the occasional hum of a woman.

Ino's face was a mix of cross and surprised upon seeing him casually strolled into the bathroom like he owned the place. Her eyebrows went up higher as he positioned himself in front of the toilet, unzipped his pants and did his business. He glanced at her as he did so and found her arms was crossed over her chest, mouth pouting in irritation.

"What's with all these candles?" He ignored her expression and gestured at a couple of scented block of wax that were scattered around the bathroom. The warm, flickering lights gave such a relaxing feeling and the mix of soothing scents gave such a tranquility to the atmosphere. Shikamaru felt instantly calmed and relieved of tension.

She maintained the pointed look for a good measure before dropping the matter off and resumed her previous task. "I had a long day." She answered. She scooped the soapy water and poured it on her skin, rubbing it in circles. Shikamaru felt a slow burn deep within his gut at the sight. "Besides, I didn't expect you tonight."

"What does that mean?" He moved to the sink and washed his hands.

Ino threw a scornful look. "We just met last night."

"So?"

"So it's two days in a row! We don't do two days in a row, Shikamaru. You know that."

Yeah, he knew. He knew about her obsession about not wanting to fall asleep and wake up next to each other for two days straight or more to avoid getting into a habit. He scowled. "I did not come for _that_." But looking at her now, all naked and wet, he would not mind joining her in the tub.

Her forehead wrinkled. "So what are you here for?"

"Nothing. I just feel like coming. Can't I come?" He was about to take his clothes off but his stomach suddenly growled and he remembered that due to his busy work, he had not eaten since morning. Hunger won against desire so he abandoned the task of undressing and casually strolled out to head to the kitchen.

He rummaged her fridge and cupboard to find anything edible but being Ino, he should have known that there was nothing entirely filling in her house. He settled on an apple and flopped down on the couch as he ate, feeling completely at home. He could relax in her space without worrying about anything for a while. He did his own thing while she did hers. It all worked out perfectly. If he wanted, they could have sex right after her bath then they could take a bath together again. For a while, he delved in his comfort, refusing to let his mind to think that someday this will have to end.

After what it seemed like forever, he heard the rustle in the bathroom indicating that she was done. He blinked the sleepiness away, did not realizing that he had dozed off after finishing the apple. He heard her footsteps coming towards his direction, lights coming on one by one and soon she came into view, wearing a fluffy bathrobe with a matching towel wrapped around her wet hair. A pair of same fluffy material covered her feet. She looked fresh and clean and homey, her beauty authentically shown without a trace of makeup, and for the first time, love burst out of his chest and overpowered the lust he always felt as he looked at her like that.

"You should stop doing this." She said as she unwrapped the towel from her head and began drying her hair.

"Do what?" He asked in confusion.

"Treating me like your girlfriend."

"I'm not." He protested.

She rolled her eyes. "You showed up at my place with no intention of having sex. You've been doing that a lot recently."

He raised his eyebrows. "Uh, friends do that, too. But if you want sex, I'm always up for it."

"You know what I mean!" She threw her wet towel at him. "Okay, how about you just barged in while I was taking a bath and peed in front of me like we are some old married couple?"

"In my defense," he threw the towel back at her. "The door was open and I really need to pee."

"You could have knocked!"

"Why knock on an open door? If you don't like me barging in, you should have locked it."

"This is _my_ house. I thought I was alone."

He shrugged carelessly. "Well, it's not like nothing you have not seen. Or rather," he gave her a knowing look from head to toe, "it's not like I haven't seen you naked before."

She glowered.

"Why are you so mad?"

"I don't like it." She stomped towards her room.

"You don't like the things I did or the fact that you enjoy it?" He called out to her disappearing back.

He followed her into the bedroom. She was still drying her hair when he entered, and she glared at his reflection in the mirror. He shook his head at her cloudy mood and went to the drawer to take a towel and some spare clothes he was sure he had left during his last visit. He found it in the next drawer, full of his things he had left over the years.

"You are slowly moving into my apartment." She stated sourly.

"Am not." He chose what he wanted and got up. He discarded his clothes into the dirty bin before heading for the bathroom.

"Yes, you are. Before I know it, you will live here full time."

"You are the one who give me a drawer. What can you say about that?"

"Well, I have to dump your stuff somewhere." She replied defensively.

He decided not to comment on that and proceeded to take a shower. He knew that there will be no end to their petty argument if someone did not back down, and the obvious choice was definitely him. He did not mind. He had let her win all her life.

She peeked into the bathroom while he was brushing his teeth. "At least close the door when you are inside, geez."

"Troublesome." He replied after he spat the foam out. He noticed that she was staring a bit too long at his naked form, and he raised his eyebrows at her, challenging her to come inside.

"Troublesome." She repeated his favourite phrase and left. He chuckled. It was funny whenever she feigned innocence.

Before they got sexually involved, Shikamaru had never imagined that Ino could be so ordinary and domestic. Growing up, he always thought that she spend her spare time looking in the mirror and indulge her vanity behind closed doors, but it was not until he started "living" in her space that he found she did none of that. She did normal things like reading and listening to music, sometimes trying on new recipes. She cared for some flower pots in the balcony. Sometimes she took to studying ninja scrolls and thick medicine books. He had got to know her better after he received that key to her apartment.

In the beginning, their encounters were sparse and random. The first few times were total accidents. They never thought that they will get involved again after the pregnancy scare, but what was rational and right with alcohol swimming in their bloodstreams? Soon, accidents became coincidences, and coincidences turned to schemes. Shikamaru guessed the exchanged of keys changed everything.

A quickie in an alley had evolved to an overnight stay, and the frequency increased after they hit the one-year mark.

She was on the bed when he entered the bedroom after his bath, painting her toenails with absolute concentration. He hung his towel on the hook before flopping down on the empty space beside her. She stopped when the mattress dipped from his weight, a glare was directed at his way.

He ignored it as usual. "I'm hungry. Should we order takeouts?"

She finished her last nail. "How about you go out and never come back."

He let his hand landed on her bare, shapely thigh. "You are so moody tonight. Are you on your period?"

She slapped his hand away. "No!"

"Then why are you-"

"It's my _me_ time! You are not supposed to be here!"

There will be no end to her complaints if he retort back so he kept his mouth shut. Ino was probably in one of those moods that night. He stretched on the bed, yawning as he did so. He refused to leave the comfort but his stomach was growling again. He went to the fridge to require a second apple when a knock sounded on the door.

"Ino?" A soft, feminine voice called tentatively.

Shikamaru froze in his spot. The walls of the apartment were thin so Ino, too, heard the knock. She appeared at the doorway and looked questioningly at him. Who? She mouthed.

Sakura! He replied.

"Ino, are you still up?" The knocking resumed.

They stared at each other, both unmoved from their positions. Shikamaru figured if they remained silent then Sakura will get the hint that Ino was probably asleep and leave, but soon he heard the jingle of keys. A moment later, he saw the doorknob turned.

In a split second, he was inside the bedroom. Like a shadow, he had silently slipped into the room without any noise. Being a ninja had its perks sometimes, and in this case, it was stealth and speed. He turned on the blonde.

"You gave her your house key, too?" He didn't know why he was furious.

The blue eyes steeled. "Hey, she helps me maintain the place whenever I go on missions, okay." Then a thought struck her. "I should probably make you do it instead."

"Doesn't give her the right to freely enter your house."

Ino looked undisturbed by his comment. Apparently, Sakura was used to come and go as she pleased. "I wonder what she wants. It must be important."

It took Sakura quite a moment to find the right key. "Make her go." Shikamaru whispered.

"If you leave when I told you to then we wouldn't be in this position." Ino hissed.

He stared at her. So she still wanted to have her way in this tight situation and blame it all in him.

"This won't be a problem if you keep your visiting hours well past bedtime." She continued. "I'll never hear the end of it if she sees you here at this hour, wearing that." She scorned disdainfully at his boxer.

He was getting tired of her being so high and mighty. "Well, I guess if she catch us we'll just have to come clean."

"Are you crazy?" She almost shrieked but he managed to cover her mouth as the lock finally give and the door was pushed open. In a flash, Ino pushed him deeper into the bedroom.

"Stay inside and be quiet!" She warned with gritted teeth and stormed outside.

The bedroom door was not properly shut so he could hear everything that they were saying through the tiny crack. Sakura came bearing work that needed to be discussed urgently but soon their conversation turned into casual chat and gossips. Shikamaru sighed when they started to talk about romance and boys and tried to tune their excited chatter out. It was going to be a long night.

He almost fell asleep when he heard his name.

"You know I heard something about Shikamaru the other day." Sakura's tone was casual.

Ino replied curiously, "what is it?"

"Do you know that he is dating Temari?" Sakura answered and all details about the talk he had with Kakashi not too long ago spilled from her cherry-glossed lips.


End file.
